Marsha Bievre Baker

Physician

Physician At University of Southern California

Marsha Bievre Baker, MD, MPH, serves as a Clinical Instructor and Fellow of the University of Southern California’s Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility Program. At USC, the Los Angeles physician, researcher, author, and lecturer teaches medical students and residents. Through USC Fertility, a fertility preservation program, Dr. Marsha Bievre Baker diagnoses infertility in women, as well as reproductive endocrine disorders. Additionally, she performs reproductive surgeries. She conducts research on such subjects as pubertal developments and menopausal symptoms and has presented her findings before the American Society of Reproductive Medicine. Her research has resulted in numerous papers, articles, and book chapters that she has authored, co-authored, or reviewed.

Dr. Marsha Bievre Baker has earned many awards for her research efforts related to women’s public health issues. Her interest in public health delivery and research earned her a Paul Q. Peterson Scholarship Award, an award presented annually to a graduate or professional student by the University of Illinois Foundation. Dr. Baker used the award to continue her research, Project PACE: Postpartum Adolescent Contraception Education. Implementing Project PACE in her obstetrics and gynecology residency training at USC-Los Angeles County Hospital, she uses a one-to-one counseling approach designed to educate adolescent mothers about postpartum contraception. Through her research, she hopes to improve reproductive healthcare for women worldwide. She was also awarded the 2003 U.S. Secretary’s Award for Innovations in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and she garnered recognition as Outstanding Resident Teacher and USC’s Outstanding Patient Advocate.

While completing an undergraduate degree with honors in the studies of history, philosophy, and social studies of science and medicine at the University of Chicago, Dr. Marsha Bievre Baker gained early acceptance to the University of Chicago-Pritzker School of Medicine. Simultaneously, she earned a Master of Public Health at the University of Illinois at Chicago. In addition to her pursuit of excellence in education and medicine, Dr. Baker supports numerous worthwhile causes and organizations, including the Sgt. Mario Jude Bievre Scholarship Foundation, which is named in honor of her brother who died during combat operations in Iraq.

Difficulty Conceiving and When to Get a Fertility Evaluation

Dr. Marsha Bievre Baker, a physician at the University of Southern California Medical Center, specializes in reproductive medicine. Among other responsibilities, Dr. Marsha Bievre Baker performs fertility evaluations and helps couples start or add to their families.

Infertility has many causes, and the reason for it depends on each individual situation. In a third of cases, the infertility stems from the woman’s side, and in another third, from the male side. In other instances, a combination of issues between the man and woman creates the difficulty in conceiving. Trying to have a baby can be frustrating, and a couple may be unsure of when to seek help for a possible problem with infertility.

The right time to get an evaluation from a fertility specialist depends on a number of factors. For instance, women under the age of 35 might want to pursue fertility testing if they don’t get pregnant after a year of trying. For older women, specialists often recommend that they take this step sooner, after six months of trying. Other reasons for going to a specialist include having a medical history that might indicate problems with fertility, such as having had certain sexually transmitted diseases or problems with period regularity. A medical professional who specializes in fertility can identify possible causes and prescribe treatments that can increase the likelihood of successfully conceiving.

Considering In Vitro Fertilization

Dr. Marsha Bievre Baker specializes in fertility care for women as an adjunct clinical professor at the University of Southern California. Dr. Marsha Bievre Baker’s specialties include treating infertility through such methods as in vitro fertilization.

Couples who have confirmed issues related to fertility can consider in vitro fertilization. This procedure involves fertilizing an egg with sperm in a laboratory setting. After this has been completed, a medical professional puts one or multiple embryos in the woman’s body. In vitro can provide results for couples who have such problems as low sperm count or sperm having difficulty getting through cervical mucus. Similarly, it can serve as a solution for women who haven’t been able to conceive due to ovulation issues or conditions such as endometriosis.

There are a number of factors to consider when thinking about pursuing in vitro fertilization. While the technique has led to many live births since doctors began performing it in the United States in 1981, it is not always successful. In other instances, it can result in multiple births, such as twins. Finally, the procedure is expensive, and it is much more complicated than other methods that address infertility.